After a dead frog was discovered in the hostel mess food at the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Hyderabad, the hostel administration stated that the incident is "absolutely unacceptable" and confirmed that an internal investigation is underway.
Prof Radhika Krishnan, Associate Professor at IIIT Hyderabad and Chairperson of the mess committee, told EdexLive “We feel terrible about this incident. It is something that should never have happened. We are currently investigating what went wrong and are committed to ensuring that this does not happen again in the future. Based on the investigation, we will take necessary action against the people concerned.”
She added that the institute will also be consulting with experts to determine the necessary changes to ensure the safety of our students.
The students of IIIT Hyderabad discovered a frog cooked in the chicken biryani served at the Kadamb mess on Wednesday, October 17.
This is not the first time students at IIIT Hyderabad have faced issues with pests in their food and unsanitary mess conditions.
It might be recalled that in May this year, boarders — including both IIIT Hyderabad students and high school participants attending the Panini Linguistics Olympiad — were hospitalised due to food poisoning after consuming meals served in the hostel.
Prof Krishnan noted that after the incident, food samples were sent for testing for 10 days continuously, but none of the reports revealed any concerns with the food being served in the hostel mess.
“We are also working to identify what went wrong. In response to past concerns, we revamped our mess kitchen, implemented a 24/7 hot water supply, and established anti-pest mechanisms in both the dining area and kitchen. Additionally, we shut down our messes for extensive pest control during the summer and continue to conduct regular pest management,” she added.